Vendor Specialization Is In The Spotlight In Forrester’s B2B And B2C Commerce Landscape

2026-02-25 · Source: Featured Blogs - Forrester · Field: Business & Management — E-commerce & Digital Commerce, Project & Product Management, Consulting & Professional Services · Depth: Intermediate, quick

Summary

Forrester's newly released report, "The Commerce Solutions Landscape, Q1 2026," provides a unified view of B2B and B2C commerce solutions, reflecting the increasing convergence of these models. The research, which analyzed 23 vendors, found that most now focus on both B2B- and B2C-specific extended use cases. Despite this blending, the report highlights vendor specialization, with four vendors (Adobe, ESW, SCAYLE, VTEX) exclusively prioritizing B2C use cases, and five vendors (AppDirect, DynamicWeb, Elastic Path, Sana Commerce, Spryker) focusing solely on B2B. Fourteen vendors demonstrated broader functionality by selecting use cases from both B2B and B2C categories, indicating a largely converged market where diversified solutions are common.

Key takeaway

For Product Managers or Business Analysts evaluating commerce solutions, recognize that while many vendors offer converged B2B/B2C capabilities, significant specialization still exists. You should prioritize vendors whose stated focus areas align precisely with your organization's unique extended use cases, such as drop-shipping or digital subscriptions, rather than relying solely on broad B2B/B2C labels. Engage with Forrester analysts to refine your shortlist and ensure optimal vendor selection.

Key insights

The commerce solutions market is converging, with most vendors now supporting both B2B and B2C use cases.

Principles

• Vendor specialization persists despite market convergence.
• Broader functionality does not imply weaker specialty areas.

Method

Vendors select up to three extended use cases to indicate their current market focus, revealing areas of specialization within the broader commerce landscape.

In practice

• Refine vendor shortlists by specific additional use cases.
• Eliminate vendors not prioritizing your primary use case.

Topics

• Commerce Solutions
• B2B/B2C Convergence
• Vendor Specialization
• Forrester Research
• Digital Commerce

Best for: Product Manager, Business Analyst, Consultant

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Featured Blogs - Forrester.